Urticaria is another word for hives; those raised, red itchy spots that are associated with allergies and that often appear during stressful moments. Vitamin D is "the sunshine vitamin." Your skin can synthesize it when it is exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation. Evidence suggests there may be an association between low vitamin D levels and outbreaks of urticaria. Consult your doctor if you have urticaria.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that your body uses to regulate the effective use of calcium. When your calcium levels drop, vitamin D helps increase the rate at which your body absorbs calcium from food. It also prompts your kidneys to reabsorb calcium and releases calcium from your bones to boost the level of calcium circulating in your blood. Vitamin D also appears to have numerous effects related to immune system function, insulin secretion and blood pressure regulation, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Urticaria
The causes of urticaria can remain unknown, or idiopathic. "The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology" notes in its August 2010 issue that, despite extensive diagnostic testing, chronic urticaria often confounds doctors seeking its cause. Research conducted by Dr. Warren Ancheta Thorp of the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that vitamin D levels were significantly lower in subjects who had chronic urticaria compared to a control group of subjects who did not. A case study in the April 2006 "Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology," suggests that deficiencies in vitamin D and other nutrients caused by malabsorption syndromes such as celiac disease can result in chronic urticaria. In January 2011 the "West Virginia Medical Journal" published a retrospective case series of patients with idiopathic urticaria and low vitamin D levels and concluded that patients with skin rashes of unknown origin should routinely be evaluated for vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D Deficiency
You may be at risk of vitamin D deficiency that can lead to urticaria if you have dark skin, which synthesizes less vitamin D, or if your skin doesn't receive enough exposure to sunshine. Consumption of vitamin D-rich foods can take up the slack in some cases, but other factors can prevent dietary vitamin D from fulfilling your body's needs. As previously mentioned, disorders that prevent you from absorbing nutrients can result in vitamin deficiencies. Elderly people synthesize less vitamin D and institutionalized adults are especially at risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Considerations
The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is 15 mcg per day for most adults. If you have urticaria, consult your doctor. It is important to rule out other possible causes before embarking on a regimen of vitamin D supplementation.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute; Vitamin D; Jane Higdon; March 2004
- "Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology"; Chronic Urticaria: A Cutaneous Manifestation of Celiac Disease; Jessica Haussmann, et al.; April 2006
- "The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology"; Reduced Vitamin D Levels in Adult Subjects with Chronic Urticaria; Warren Ancheta Thorp, et al.; August 2010
- "The West Virginia Medical Journal"; Idiopathic Itch, Rash, and Urticaria/Angioedema Merit Serum Vitamin D Evaluation: A Descriptive Case Series; D.W. Goetz; January-February 2011
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